Posted on 12/08/2004 12:45:36 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
SKOWHEGAN -- A 26-year-old Fairfield man was sentenced to 18 months behind bars Tuesday for beating a 4-month-old wolf-hybrid puppy to death with his fists.
James Mayhew pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty in Somerset County Superior Court. Superior Court Chief Justice Nancy Mills sentenced Mayhew to five years in prison with all but 18 months suspended. Mayhew will be on probation for four years after he is released.
Kennebec and Somerset County District Attorney Evert N. Fowle said Tuesday afternoon that his office treats animal cruelty cases seriously because studies show a link between abuse of animals and violence against humans.
"People who would abuse or torture innocent animals are people who would do the same (to humans) under the right circumstances," Fowle said.
It was the second time in less than a week that a prison sentence was handed down for the relatively rare felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty in Fowle's jurisdiction.
In Augusta last week, Superior Court Justice Joseph Jabar sentenced a Randolph man to four years behind bars for running over and killing his girlfriend's pregnant cat.
Jabar said the act amounted to domestic abuse because it was an attempt to control his girlfriend. One witness described the man "howling and laughing," before killing the cat.
In the Mayhew case, Fowle said there was no link to domestic violence. The Fairfield man was apparently upset because the puppy urinated in his apartment.
"He beat the dog to death because it urinated inside his residence, but the dog urinated because it was scared to death of him because of past abusive treatment," Fowle said.
Police said the puppy was beaten over a period of two months and died on July 31.
An autopsy concluded the puppy had a broken rib, a severely bruised lung and bruised muscles around the head and ears.
Police said at the time of Mayhew's arrest, a veterinarian who performed the autopsy concluded the puppy either bled to death or suffocated on its own blood.
Mayhew had no other pets or animals at his Mountain Avenue home. He apparently had seen the dog advertised for sale and bought it at eight or six weeks old.
"Maybe he'll get raped in prison....here's hoping"
Yeah so that when he is out in 18 mos he is even more of a psychopath.
Right. If the other inmates find out why he's in jail, those months won't seem so short to him . . .
Apparently there are some here who would gladly do that, including hoping the person gets raped in prison. Gee, that's swell.
Using your logic I should be okay next time the little 6 year old brat down the street starts throwing rocks at my house. After telling him over 25 times to not throw rocks I will just snap and beat him up to stop it. I must be sick to think like that and in your book I don't deserve jail time either. I'm sure his parents will accept my apology and move along without any concern. /sarcasm
--"People who would abuse or torture innocent animals are people who would do the same (to humans) under the right circumstances," Fowle said.--
--Welcome to the Pre-Crime unit. 18 months is too harsh for animal abuse. Make the guy do a ton of community service and probation, toss in some counseling, maybe a month or two behind bars. 18 months is waaaaaaay out of line for killing an animal.--
18 months in prison does seem a bit excessive. I would have favored perhaps a couple of months in prison, a restraining order with severe consequences against repeats of such action, and a hefty, hefty financial fine. It gives both the prison record and hits him where he'll remember it -- in the pocketbook.
My fear on making this too excessive is that veal will eventually result in 18 months in prison before the activists are through using these laws. I love my animals and would want hefty retribution if they were tortured and killed by some moron, but I'd rather get financial compensation and see the courts make it a "he owes me" situation as opposed to a "he owes society" situation. It's obviously a different situation with people being harmed, but when it's an animal I expect it to be treated more as property than person.
Do you beat the bird with you fist for pissing on your floor?
This is about an act of violence to control, not hunting or utilizing an animal for its feather or meat.
There is a difference.
It's every bit as logical as assuming that every person who ever did anything cruel to a (cute) animal will be a violent criminal to humans.
Separate subject.
What kind of man beats a puppy to death? Probably the same kind that beats a child, a woman, anyone smaller and weaker. Society needs to watch this person very, very closely.
OK. So know I know how you feel about the issue. But what about my second question? What if he had killed a squirrel or a hamster the same way? Maybe draw and quarter the guy? That way the horses could exact their revenge.
So for your comments about shooting someone for killing an animal, should we shoot you for wanting that of a fellow person (or at least lock you up)? You are actually suggesting murder. He's not.
You are a much worse example.
"Man Gets 18 Months For Beating Puppy To Death"
Not Enough!!
....and that's still not enough...
but it's a good start!
I know a adult Wolf named moose that my friend has that would like to spend a few minutes alone with this gentleman.
"Sick" implies it's not his fault.
"treats animal cruelty cases seriously because studies show a link between abuse of animals and violence against humans."
Now if they'd just take crimes committed against humans as seriously...
It's the dissonance in the relative consequence and seriousness.
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